Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political

The end contains a volume of instruction: as inspired prophet to his familiar.

The following advisory remark made

THE BRIEF REMARKER.

Seek them not.—Nothing is more certain than the vanity of human greatness, not for that it is transitory and perishable, but also because it is often accompanied with a more than ordinary share of discomfort and vexation.

If we consider the first and greatest of worldly distinctions, I mean extraordinary endowments of mind and body, we shall find that the most part are heavily taxed by the bounty gifts of nature—even these, for the most part, are heavily taxed by the bounty gifts of nature.

The partial hand of the giver. The few men of real original genius, (few indeed who claim to that high distinction) so far from being the happiest, are often the most wretched of mortals. The irritability, restlessness and spleen of distinguished authors, and especially of poets, are proverbial.

The same texture and tone of the nervous system, which qualify them to soar into the regions of fancy, or for painting nature in all her hues, disqualify them for enjoying in an equal measure with the rest of mankind, the common comforts and blessings of life; not to mention the bitterness of rivalry and the torments of jealousy, which they are fated to feel and endure. So that, as regards ease and comfort, plain common sense, with controlled passions, is far better than genius, when taxed, as it often is, with morbid sensibility, and with passions violent and ungovernable.

The greatest beauties are seldom the most amiable, the most discreet and respectable, or the most happy of women; while not unfrequently, their beauty has been their ruin. And indeed if we were to make a general survey of the extraordinary gifts of nature, and weigh together in the balances, their advantages and disadvantages as regards the comforts of the possessors, we should find that in many, if not in most instances, the latter are fully equal to the former.

Nor are the gifts of fortune exempt from heavy taxation. Vast wealth brings upon its possessor a load of incessant care, generates dispositions and feelings incompatible with quiet enjoyment, and oft-times makes profligates of her children. Nay, even power, that idol of human ambition—even power, for which riches themselves are chiefly coveted, is ordinarily accompanied with more of vexation than enjoyment.

While on a time, I was reading in the memoirs of General Lee, that 'Washington, when speaking on the subject of death, would often declare, that he would not repass his life were it in his option.' While reading this extraordinary passage I was touched with a momentary surprise. What! can this thing be so?—The man whose life was covered with glory, beyond that of almost any other mortal—could he be unwilling to travel over again the same brilliant path, and to enjoy anew the same high honors! Could he find such a life tedious and irksome! A few moments reflection were sufficient, however, to convince me that the thing was neither incredible nor wonderful. In the seven years of war, and the eight years of his administration, his solicitude and anxiety, lest, haply, by some imprudent step, he should commit the interests of his country, far outweighed in all probability, every thing of real enjoyment that human greatness can bestow. Nor is it unreasonable to think, that during those fifteen anxious years, many a day laborer, nay, many a menial servant, enjoyed a greater portion of unalloyed worldly comfort, than the illustrious man whom the world held in such admiration.

The object of the foregoing train of reflections, is not at all to decry genius, or beauty, or riches, or power; but rather to evince that man or woman, in moderate circumstances, and ungifted with any uncommon endowments, may be quite as happy without these splendid distinctions, as those are who possess them.—For the enjoyment of every essential comfort that this world can afford, there is need only of health and competence, together with a contented mind & thankful heart.